Sisters Doll-5 — Sister Doll. Photo by Paul Clampin.

By Paul Clampin, Rock At Night London

Live Review: Call of the Wild Festival – 28th May – 31st May 2026 –Lincolnshire Showground in Lincoln, UK

Nestled at the beginning of the festival season and just days before Download, Call of the Wild is a charming boutique event that perfectly balances looking forward to the future of rock while paying respect to its past.

June in England is a gamble — it can deliver glorious sunshine or punishing rain, sometimes both in the same day. Thankfully, the lineup at Call of the Wild provided plenty of loud, high-quality options to keep the spirit alive regardless of the weather. If you were wondering where all the rock ‘n’ roll weirdos had gone, the answer was simple: they were gathered at the Kilmister and Southall Lawless stages. And it was glorious.

This year’s curation offered something for most tastes, blending rock, metal, and prog with a strong international flavour. Headliners Florence Black, Onslaught, and Von Hertzen Brothers delivered a feast of heavy, anthemic, and progressive sounds from the UK, Australia, and Finland.

The crowd brought energy throughout, and by and large, the bands matched it. Here are some of the standout performances:

Glamour of the Kill kicked things off with serious intent. As a tight four-piece, they produced a huge sound, firing off pyro during the daytime for their track ‘Turn Up the Heat’. Their song ‘Earthquake’ stood out as a personal highlight.

Myke Grey anchored the Southall Lawless stage on the first night. A guitarist’s guitarist through and through, he delivered classic rock riffs with style and swagger, fronted by the lead singer of Karma Effect. It was a highly enjoyable, road-tested performance — well worth catching live.

As night fell on Friday, Florence Black took to the Kilmister stage amid pyro and smoke. The daytime crowd in flip-flops and leather kilts made way for a more committed atmosphere as the Welsh rockers powered through a top-class set. Their complete dedication turned the performance into a genuine piece of living rock art.

Saturday brought balance with Onslaught as headliners, widely regarded as one of the weekend’s strongest deliveries.

Other Highlights:

Hearts and Hand Grenades (New York) – Hard, hearty, no-nonsense rock.
Continental Lovers – Brilliantly retro 70s glam in the vein of the New York Dolls. Glam rock is alive and well.
Wicked Smile – Australian classic anthem rock done right.
Silveroller – 70s-inspired rock with a Free/Bad Company flavour. Excellent guitar and organ work, and a lead singer with serious Paul Rodgers/Steve Marriott energy. They pulled a big crowd.
Fireheart – Delivered more anthems and had fans queuing at the barrier well before their set.
Chez Kane – Powerful vocals with serious range. Her band sounded stadium-ready, especially on tracks like ‘Nationwide’.
Sisters Doll – Returning Aussie hard rockers and crowd favourites who headlined the Southall Lawless stage for the second year running. They brought pyro, smoke, sparks, and total commitment, digging deep into their catalogue including ‘Welcome to the Doll’s House’. Raw, enigmatic, and unapologetically hard-rocking — these mining-town rockers are the real deal. They closed with the excellent ‘A Good Day to Be Alive’.

Von Hertzen Brothers brought the festival to a close with a tight, progressive masterclass. Starting at a frantic pace with ‘The Relapse’ and moving through ‘Peace Patrol’, their set was a highlight for many. It was over too soon — a perfect way to end the weekend.

Overall, Call of the Wild continues to punch above its weight as a friendly, well-curated boutique festival. If you love real rock and metal played with heart and attitude, it deserves a place on your calendar.